


At That Last Hour To Please Him Well

by mansikka



Series: Shade Falls On Us [11]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Fluff, Immortal Alec Lightwood, M/M, Marriage Proposal, POV Alec
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-04
Updated: 2017-10-04
Packaged: 2019-01-06 11:46:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12210651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mansikka/pseuds/mansikka
Summary: Alec prepares to propose to Magnus.





	At That Last Hour To Please Him Well

**Author's Note:**

> Hello :)
> 
> So... this is the last part for now... obviously, when you read this, you'll realise there's at least one more part we could do, and there's probably potential for a few more, but... we'll see how it works out :)
> 
> Thank you so much for reading through this one, I know it was difficult in parts but I hope that you've enjoyed reading it as much as I loved writing it :)
> 
> Hugs for you all :)
> 
> x

The thrum of the string resonates along the limb of the bow as he releases an arrow, and another echoes in Alec’s chest for the comforting familiarity of a long-practiced move.

For all the magic that dances beneath his fingertips, this action, the use of this simple weapon that is as ingrained in him as breathing, will always be something that feels like home.  

Not that he isn't continually amazed by, and doesn’t already love the magic that flows through him, Alec adds to himself with a smile, sweeping his hand up in the air then pulsing his fingers and pulling them back with a sharp snap, watching as all the arrows he’s fired from the balcony sweep in arcs up through the air from wherever they’ve landed across the city, and return themselves neatly to his quiver.

 _Magnus’_ quiver, he amends, smirking to himself, never failing to be amused by Magnus’ constant, pointed reminders of to whom his bow and quiver actually belongs. Reminders that have resulted in some very interesting and enjoyable tussles, he thinks, closing his eyes to the memory of the last one before spinning on his heel and going back inside.  

He’d tried to show Magnus how to use the bow once. Right there on the loft’s balcony, arms wrapped around him from behind and guiding his fingers over the bow. Magnus is far more suited to fighting with his magic and hand to hand, however, Alec laughs to himself, remembering the profanities spilling from his mouth for every arrow he failed to fire and ended up clattered at their feet.  

Not that they tend to do much fighting these days unless they have to, of course. Life—despite the occasional flaring problem that is the Clave being heavy-handed, the Downworld (rightfully) pushing back against their centuries of oppression, and of course, the demons that continue to exist and breach through into the world—is really good.  

And okay, Alec nods to himself as he turns his eyes about the apartment looking for something to do before slumping to the couch and reaching for his phone, there are moments when he _misses_ that feeling of being on constant alert and ready for anything. But he wouldn’t trade his life now for any of that, not even for a moment. His life is not the one he was born into living, but it is one he’s carved for himself, and is proud of.   

Magnus, naturally, is a huge part of that life.  

Magnus, Alec smiles to himself, never failing to feel both calmed and excited even at just thinking his name. He’s due back in a couple of hours, currently at the Institute of all places, checking the portal to Idris and making sure all his previous wards are intact. At times it’s left an odd twist in his stomach that Magnus is welcome there when he is not—and it’s not really that he isn’t welcome, but it’s just best all round if he stays away, considering his tenuous relations with the Clave.

Lydia is a different matter, of course, a regular feature of their lives now along with Izzy, Jace, and Clary, often coming to the loft for dinner or meeting up with their larger group of friends at Hunter’s Moon. Alec smiles, snorting a little to himself at a memory of the last time they’d all been at Hunter’s Moon together, when a Seelie had appeared out of nowhere, then dragged Lydia up to dance.  

Lydia’s also the only one who has ever—at least so far—spoken to Alec about his immortality. She didn’t see him when he was at his worst with the Odzer venom, had only second-hand information about what that particular hell was like. Izzy, Jace, and Clary, they had seen what it was doing to him, and knew his choice was borne out of desperation for survival as well as his love for Magnus. They didn’t question that decision, or why he didn’t take longer to make it; they knew they were losing him, and it was the only option they had.

But Lydia has asked, on numerous occasions. Would he have made the same choice if he’d had more time? Does he wish there had been another option? Would he ever consider trying to find a spell that would take him back? And with more than two years living this _new_ existence, he can answer that more freely and honestly than he has done the previous times she’s asked him. Alec makes a point to talk to her about it the next chance he gets, because he’s been thinking about it a lot recently. For the past few months, in fact, it’s never been far from his mind.

There would have come a point when his mortality, and Magnus’ immortality, would have had to have been discussed. The Odzer venom forced their hand, of course, but Alec knows beyond anything that he’d make the choice time and time again. He would never have asked Magnus in a million years to give up all that he was to become mortal for him—and that’s something they have discussed as well, because Magnus _would_ have done; he’s told him as much.  

But together, as immortal, they can make a real, lasting _difference_ to their world—and see all the results of their efforts come to fruition. It might be in small ways; mediated conversations and muting of tempers so there is little reason for disputes between the Downworlders and the Clave, but bit by bit, one prevented argument at a time, their world is changing. There’s a loose kind of alliance forming between factions of both to take on bigger, combined problems such as the continual plague that is demons, and Magnus and Alec along with their closest of friends are beginning to pad out what that might mean long term. Alec is proud, of his efforts and those of all those closest around them. And of Magnus, more than anyone, who has given so much of himself to be the figurehead of this change.

Alec remembers, clear as anything, the night he’d sat here on this very couch and shown Magnus the spell that would change everything for them, including saving his life. The utter disbelief on Magnus’ face that Alec would even _want_ a forever with him, still haunts Alec a little now. How Magnus could doubt he was worthy enough to be loved that much and that long, is unimaginable to Alec, although he knows he might be a little biased.  

He smiles down at his phone then, opening the message from Magnus to see the selfie taken with Lydia in his old office in the Institute, and sighs, wondering again if he should have made himself more occupied today, instead of sitting around and having all this time to think and overthink. Then rolls his eyes at himself, and scolds himself for being so overdramatic.

His phone pings then as though hearing his plea for distraction, with Clary announcing that she’s ready and where he should meet her, and his stomach flips hard. He fires off a quick message to Jace and Izzy to confirm where the four of them will meet for lunch, and runs a hand through his hair, telling himself that it’s ridiculous to be nervous about something like this.  

Alec stands, closes the balcony doors and takes two seconds to glance himself over in the mirror, then makes his way out the apartment, sending a reply to Magnus’ message and telling him he can’t wait for him to come home.

***

Magnus is beautiful tonight.

He always is, of course, Alec amends to himself, but there’s something about the way he’s standing, the way he’s moving, that sets Alec’s heart off racing even faster than it normally does in Magnus’ company—even after all this time.   

He’s also in his element, Alec thinks, hoping one day these dance steps he’s learned specifically for Magnus might become as natural and fluid to him as they clearly are to Magnus. The way Magnus moves across this dancefloor—technically speaking, a stretch of pier in Greenwich Village—shows all the years practice that he’s had.  

Alec’s struggling just to keep up, but it’s worth it for the way Magnus is beaming back at him, as though he can’t believe his luck.  

“You ready to take a break?” Magnus asks, always conscious of Alec’s thought process no matter how hard he tries to disguise it.

“Not yet,” Alec replies, leaning in to steal himself a kiss just as they’re making a particularly difficult turn, and earning himself another in reward.

“You’re getting really good at this,” Magnus enthuses, and Alec can only laugh. He feels ungainly next to Magnus for exactly two things in his life; dancing, and magic. Both he strives to perfect knowing he won’t ever be quite as effortless as Magnus in either, but he’ll happily take his praise and accept all the kisses he’s offering.  

They dance through another two songs, and when a third one starts Magnus immediately realizes it’s far too fast for Alec to be comfortable with.  

“Maybe that’s enough salsa for one evening, hmm?” Magnus says, wrapping his hands around Alec’s waist and pulling him closer.

“Maybe,” Alec agrees, happy to lean in for a kiss in the middle of that dancefloor as other couples continue to dance around them.

“Where would you like to eat?” Magnus asks as they slot their hands together and begin to walk. It had been Alec’s idea for them to come dancing, and he’s happy to turn that particular decision over to Magnus.

“Let’s walk, see if we see something we like,” he suggests, glad they’ve got the whole night ahead of them and no early plans to make them tired in the morning.

Magnus likes this idea, apparently, for the happy smile he sends his way, then begins to tell Alec about his day at the Institute.  

Alec does his best to concentrate, but his mind is wandering, going over his own afternoon.

He’d met Clary outside a Mundane jewelers, taking in the excited look on her face and immediately getting caught up in it. They’d huddled together in a rush to the restaurant they were meeting Izzy and Jace for lunch in, then cracked open the palm-sized, velvet-lined box to study the two matching rings nestled inside.  

Alec had told Clary of his intention to propose to Magnus before anyone else, swearing her to secrecy though needing to confide in someone—especially as he needed her help. He wanted a design that spoke of everything he and Magnus were together; his former life as a Shadowhunter, their lives together in the Downworld. Their love, care, and promises to one another; who better to ask to design the perfect ring, then, than a former Mundane art student, and current master of runes?

The images are emblazoned in Alec’s mind even now, as he nods and smiles in all the right places for what Magnus is telling him.

The rings themselves are pewter, but in the wide, rectangular face of them is set a design that manages to capture everything Alec had wanted them to; an entwined engraving filled with tiny chips of sapphire and amber to represent the colors of both their magic. It will be the most ornate thing he has ever worn, Alec thinks, but since it’s forever, and it’s with Magnus, he half can’t wait to already have it on.

The box is hidden in his drawer back in their bedroom ready for him to summon it when the right moment arrives, but he’s still not too sure about when that will be.

“...and Raj, of course, was his usual, charming self,” Magnus says then, pulling Alec’s thoughts back, and answering with a groan.

“So essentially, nothing’s changed then,” Alec summarizes, having heard enough of Magnus’ words to get the gist of what he was telling him.

“Well,” Magnus sighs, squeezing his hand as he points out a restaurant they haven’t yet tried and turning, waiting for his answering nod, “the Head of the Institute is pleasant, yet nowhere _near_ as attractive as the former one,”

Alec laughs and shakes his head, dropping his hand to wrap around Magnus’ shoulders and kiss against his temple.  

“So, now that I’ve finished dominating our conversation; how was your lunch?”

“Good,” he replies, nodding, “Izzy enjoyed this carbonara dish so much she asked for the recipe,”

“Heaven help us,” Magnus answers with his eyes blowing wide. He’s only sampled her cooking once, and Alec thinks he might have been forever traumatized by the experience.

“And Jace kept asking if I could, like, magic stuff in from the kitchen,”

“He wanted you to use your magic to conjure condiments?” Magnus asks, a hand of mock horror pressed to his chest.

“I think he was just looking for free food,” Alec smiles, shrugging.  

Jace and Izzy’s reaction to Alec announcing he was going to propose, Alec thinks he can still feel pressed into his back and shoulders from the tightness of their hugs. He straightens up a little for the reminder, and tells his heart to calm.

“So. What do you think?” Magnus asks as they come to a stop outside the restaurant and peer up at the signs, then through the window. “Here?”

Alec glances it over, lips pinched together, asking himself again if he should be doing something more elaborate for a proposal than an evening of dancing and dinner, but can’t think of anything beyond getting that ring on Magnus’ finger.  

They already know _they_ are forever, but the symbolism of marriage is important to Magnus. Him as well, Alec amends to himself, but he can’t get the idea out of his head that Magnus has never thought he was _worth_ a forever. There surely have to be a thousand more ways for Alec to prove him wrong on that. This is one of the best ways he can start.

“Looks good,” Alec agrees anyway, knowing from the way Magnus’ eyes have lit up he’s seen something on the tables inside that he wants to sample. He holds the door open for Magnus, then tangles their fingers together, and has the server take them to a table towards the back of the room.

***

There is a buzz in the air of the city tonight.

Alec’s sure part of that’s just his nervous imagination, but from the view of their balcony, it looks like they’re on a horizon of fairy lights, with stars dotting the sky overhead, and streetlights and shop signs twinkling below.  

Alec hadn’t got around to proposing during dinner. They’d, on a whim, taken the Staten Island Ferry after they’d eaten, and he hadn’t done it there either. Numerous cities, sentimental locations, and cherished spots came to mind for finding the right atmosphere to encourage the correct words, but not one of them had inspired him enough.

Their home, their place, just the two of them together, Alec decided as they had debated where to go next, was probably the most perfect. And very definitely more _him_ ; nothing fancy, or ornate, only himself.

Magnus joins him then, pressing a glass of wine into his hand to clink up against, then turning his gaze to look out over the city below.  

“You were right, Alexander; this is the perfect way to spend the rest of our evening,”

“Are you tired?” Alec asks, wrapping a hand around Magnus’ waist and pulling him into his side.

“Not too tired to spend time with you,” Magnus points out, turning and smiling up at him, “but it has been a long day,”

Magnus doesn’t go to the Institute often, but when he does he always comes back a little drained. He’s paid well for his services, of course, but all of the wards, checks, and ensuring the stabilization of that portal to Idris does take it out of him. Alec can still only use his magic for long stretches of minutes before growing tired; that Magnus can do that for hours before wearying is still something he is in awe of. But he still needs to rest, and often pushes himself too far. Possibly, like today.

“We could go to bed early,” Alec suggests, although it wouldn’t be all that early. It’s already close to one in the morning, and Alec is again thankful that they have the whole day stretched out before them.

“Alexander,” Magnus smiles, nudging against him, “if you wanted us to take an early night—”

“It’s not that,” he laughs, “though, I’ve no objection to that happening either,”

“Then why didn’t you say,” Magnus chides him, teasing, pulling on his hand and tugging him to go back inside.

“Wait,”

The tone of his voice has come out stern, nervous, and uncertain all at once, which was not Alec’s intention. It’s enough to have Magnus stuttering to a stop, and turning to face him in curiosity. Alec’s stomach flips then, pleading with himself not to fumble over this thing that’s so very important.  

“Just… give me a minute,” he asks, taking Magnus’ glass from his hand and putting them both down on the table before cupping his face and staring back at him until Magnus nods.

Instead of summoning that ring box to him, Alec takes the few steps to the bedroom and back to compose himself, cracking the box open one more time to stroke over the rings inside, then slotting it into his back pocket and tugging his shirt down, hoping to keep it out of sight.

He returns to find Magnus once again looking over the city, spinning to him as he hears Alec approach, and still looking at him in expectation.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes,” Alec tells him, stepping forward for a kiss that he hopes will reassure him. He doesn’t like making Magnus nervous, or worry about anything. The pain of what had almost happened with that Odzer venom Alec is sure is etched into Magnus’ eyes at times, and ever since, he’s gone out of his way to try and avoid causing him any sort of concern. “Yes. Everything’s good,”

“Then—”

“I just wanted to talk to you about something,” Alec says, tangling his fingers through Magnus’ when he goes to loop his hands around his waist, not wanting him to feel the ring box protruding.

“Okay,” Magnus replies easily, though Alec knows what he’s doing. He’s putting up walls, shielding himself, preparing for something that might be bad news. All this time together, and Alec’s still not managed to completely relieve Magnus of all his self-doubt. He’s hoping those two rings in his pocket are going to do something about that.

“You are the best thing that’s ever happened to me,”  

Magnus’ eyes blow wide, and startled, but he smiles back anyway, and shakes his head. “I’m sure that’s not—”

“It’s true,” Alec argues before he can deny it, “you are. I didn’t know you were gonna change my whole life that first time we spoke, but, I know I felt something—some kind of connection with you, even then. Even if I didn’t understand it,”

“You… did not necessarily act as such,” Magnus teases, but there’s still a little something there in his eyes, something that says he’s still worrying.

“No,” Alec agrees, bending and dropping a kiss on his cheek, “I was an idiot. But it doesn’t mean it’s not true,”

“Well,” Magnus says, in that way he does when he has no idea how to answer, “look how far we’ve come,”

“So far,” and Alec is powerless to resist leaning in to kiss him, stalling for yet a few more minutes hoping that will help him find his words.

“So,” Magnus prompts when they pull back, “gonna tell me what’s going on in that head of yours?”

There’s something in Magnus’ tone that has Alec narrowing his eyes, squeezing his fingers and silently asking for an explanation.

“Alec,” he smiles, “I’ve had a wonderful evening with you, but your mind has, at certain points, been most definitely elsewhere,”

“I’m sorry,” Alec blurts out, wrapping him up in his arms and rocking him, cursing at himself for ruining this. To think he’d planned the perfect evening, gone to all this effort, and still managed to mess it up, proves just how much more he’s got to learn about how to _do_ this kind of stuff. He’d thought he’d gotten better, he thought perhaps even some of his gestures Magnus might have—  

“Alec, please,” Magnus says with a nervous laugh, drawing Alec’s attention to the fact that his thoughts are _still_ wandering.

“I love you,” he tells him quickly, shaking his head, pleading that he understands him, “I love you so much,”

“I love you too,” Magnus replies, looking both placated and even more bewildered.  

“You know,” Alec says then, swallowing hard, desperate for something to say, “once, when we were trying to get into the police precinct—when we were trying to get the Mortal Cup—Izzy had me try and flirt with this woman at one of the desks there. Said it was good practice for asking _you_ out,”

Magnus snorts at that, and his expression softens a little with his surprise. “How’d it go?”

“I knocked water over,” Alec sighs, closing his eyes at the memory, and choosing to gloss over the words he’d used. Magnus snorts again, and it goes a little way to ease the panic in his chest.

“Smooth,”

“Yeah,”

“I’m glad your technique has improved somewhat,” Magnus adds, swaying a little and leaning up against him.

“Yeah,” Alec agrees, “that’s ‘cos I only ever wanna do stuff with you,”

“Oh, that’s not true,” Magnus teases with a dismissive wave of his hand, “you like to do all kinds of things with Jace, Izzy, and—”

“I meant stuff like this,” Alec says, cutting him off with another kiss.

“Thank goodness,” Magnus answers when he can, a little breathless, his eyes still a little wide in surprise.

“Point is. I’m not good at this stuff. But with you, it’s sort of effortless. Some of the time, anyway. Like… it’s easy, ‘cos it’s just how we are,”

Magnus smiles but says nothing, and in doing so saying that he’s still clueless about what’s going on. So is _he_ , Alec thinks to himself, fighting to hold back a peal of hysterical laughter, then telling himself to calm down all over again.

“Thing is,” Alec says, hoping to change tactic, “I know I overthink things. I know I… sometimes I have to plan conversations, so I know I’ll get the words out right. I’ve been trying to do that all day,”

“So,” Magnus says, squeezing his fingers in encouragement, “what did you want to talk about?”

Alec looks at Magnus then, really looks at him. Remembers times he’s kissed him, held him, sent stupid messages to him just because he wanted to make him smile, and how easy all those times had been when he _hadn’t_ thought about them. Him and Magnus, they _are_ effortless. They really do fit together as one whole, and every time there’s been any conflict between them, it’s been because of overthinking. Not finding the right words, not doing what’s best for them because there are too many possible outcomes going round and round in his mind.

Not this time, Alec thinks to himself with a shake of his head, he’s not getting this one wrong.

“Marry me, Magnus,” he says, even as he’s dropping to his knee, even as he’s fumbling to pull the ring box out of his pocket with one hand, and still trying to hold on to Magnus’ with his other.

“What—”

“I’m asking you to marry, me, Magnus,” he says, cracking the box open with a slide of his thumb—that he might have practiced several times under the table at lunch hoping no one was looking, then holding it out for him to look.

Magnus’ eyes drift over the rings as his mouth drops open a fraction, and Alec’s sure he’s already beginning to tear up.

“Thing is,” Alec continues, “we already know we’re gonna spend forever together. We already know we want it like that. But I want… I _need_ you to know, Magnus, that… even if we didn’t have that—even if we didn’t have a forever in our future, and I was still mortal, I’d… I’d still wanna give my _life_ to you. All of it. You’re _worth_ being with for… for as long as I get. Forever, now,” he adds with a big, warm smile, that he hopes conveys _something_ of what he’s trying to say to Magnus.

Magnus’ jaw is beginning to tremble, but there’s a slight smile there as well, so Alec thinks he might be making decent progress here.

“Magnus, I… I don’t wanna be without you. I don’t think I _can_ be without you. And I just… I _love_ you. I don’t… I guess I’ve got forever to try and show you how much. And,” he adds, raising the box a little and pressing it into Magnus’ palm, then gripping on to his hand to stop them both trembling, “I wanted to start with this,”

“Alexander,” Magnus chokes out, raising his free hand and tracing a trembling finger over the engravings on the rings.

“I might’ve borrowed a couple of rings to make sure I got the sizes right,” Alec continues, swallowing thickly and hoping he’s getting his point across, “and I got… Clary designed them. We picked them up this morning, and—”

Magnus is falling to his knees with a sob, fumbling out to grip on to Alec wherever he can as though he needs that anchor to keep him upright. His eyes are still riveted on the box, and tears are beginning to leak down his face.  

“Are you okay?” Alec whispers, reaching out with his free hand and doing his best to wipe those tears away.

“I’ve… no one’s ever asked me. No one’s ever wanted me—”

“ _I’m_ asking you,” Alec smiles, his voice cracking for all the loneliness Magnus must have felt in his life, “ _I_ want you. I want you forever, Magnus, and I… I know we get that anyway, but I… if I can do that as… as your _husband_ —”

Alec gets his answer in the form of a furious, sob-filled kiss, launched at him with so much force that he almost topples backwards with the strength of it.  

“Yes,” Magnus tells him with a crack in his voice and another kiss, “yes, of course I’ll marry you,” which springs the tears from Alec’s eyes as well. They must make such a sight, he thinks with a laugh to himself, two immortals knelt on the balcony of a loft apartment in the early hours of the morning, sobbing and holding on to one another with a ring box wedged firmly between their hands.

“Wanna… wear these now?” Alec asks, squeezing over Magnus’ fingers and smiling at the way he rapidly nods his head.

With fingers steadier than they should be for the way his heart his pounding, Alec slips Magnus’ ring from the box and puts the box down on the floor, holding on to his hand as he slides the ring down over Magnus’ finger, looking back at him triumphantly once it’s in place.  

Magnus bursts out in tears properly this time, and Alec pulls him closer, soothing and shushing him in his arms until he’s calmed enough to pull back.

“Your turn,” he announces, though it’s so quiet Alec has to strain to hear it. But he watches with his heart still beating hard in his chest, and his own tears leaking down his cheeks, as Magnus slides his own ring down over his finger and squeezes it there.  

There is a silent moment when they both are staring down at their own hands in wonder, and then they’re looking at each other, and their smiles as so wide and their laughter so happy, that Alec’s sure there’ll be a neighbor somewhere huffing into their pillow and complaining about the noise.

He doesn’t care. He’s got the love of his life there knelt in front of him, rings firmly in place on their ring fingers, and a wedding—that, knowing Magnus, will be a wedding to end all weddings—to plan.  

Alec can’t wait for any of it.

He pulls Magnus close and kisses him until there are no tears left in either of them, then tangles their hands together and guides him in to the apartment, determined to show just how much he loves him all over again.

***   

 


End file.
